Windom Peak
T W I N L A K E S
First half of the journey to the peak
Getting suited up to leave the next morning. Notice Adam carefully replacing the lid on his water bottle: He's the last hold-out, still poisoning his own water rather than filtering. See comment above about 1978 Celica.
And they're off! Rich, Kenn, Dan, Ned, Darren.
The lovely Chicago Basin.
Adam on the trail. It never fails that we leave camp fully suited up because we're cold, and within 30 minutes, we're stopping to disrobe, because climbing in the sun makes you hot (duh).
Coming up immediately below the lakes.
Darren bringing up the rear.
The Basin is full of these fellas, and everyone had ample shots of them. They were very comfortable around humans, as evidenced by the fact that this was not taken with a telephoto lens. We had seen a huge one coming up to the saddle on Crestone; this time they were moving in families, with little bleating baby goats.
Darren, Kenn, and Rich at the lake(s). Rich, as usual, getting naked. Kenn, as usual, eating some tasty treats. Darren, as usual, looking gruff and disapproving.
There are actually two "lakes" here, one beyond the rocks in the background. I put that in quotes, because they're actually just large ponds. Lovely, nonetheless.
Jim claims to have gone swimming in the one you're seeing here. Naturally, it was so unbearably cold that his brief stint as Supperfly Phelps didn't last long.
Viewed from on high...
Headed up... The lakes are a nice halfway point up to the ridge. Unlike many other hills we've climbed (primarily in the Sangres and Sawatch ranges), the "ridge" here was less apparently distinct and navigable.